Melvin Carl Ekelund, born April 2, 1919 in Nicollet County, Minn., a native of St. Peter, Minn., died Sunday, June 10, 2007.
He was the youngest son of Swedish immigrants, Carl Severn Ekelund and Ellen Erickson Ekelund. He was drafted on April 17, 1941 and served as Corporal in the 151st Field Artillery battalion during World War II in Ireland, Italy and Tunisia, before being honorably discharged on July 21, 1945.
After returning to the United States, he married Wanda deLay Moore on Sept. 28, 1945 in Alexandria, La. He then worked for Western Electric installing switchboard operations based upon his experience of station installer during the war.
He worked in Mobile during 1945 and throughout Mississippi and Alabama before finally settling in Mobile in 1951.
He returned to Civil Service in the accounting and finance office at the U.S. Corps of Engineers in Mobile during 1951, retiring June 1983 with 35 years of service including his U.S. military service.
He further retired from part-time work at Sears while relocating to Spanish Fort in 1984. After suffering from a disabling fall in March 2004, he relocated to Fairhope where he resided at death with his family and friends present.
Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Wanda; a son, James (Ronda) ekelund of Fairhope; daughter, Jeanine Ekelund (Tim) Price of Germantown, Tenn.; four grandchildren, Justin Price, Ashley Price, Shelby Price and Savannah Ekelund; niece, Donna Steinberg Jones of Mobile, other nieces and nephews.
Visitation was held Tuesday, June 12 at Pine Crest Funeral Home. Funeral services were held Wednesday, June 13 in the funeral home chapel. Interment followed at Pine Crest Cemetery.
